


Earthshine

by kinfic2



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 05:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinfic2/pseuds/kinfic2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The old moon in the young moon's arms</p>
            </blockquote>





	Earthshine

**Author's Note:**

> A cosmic WTF fic based on fact with a metaphorical Brian and Justin  
> Written way back when (2008)

_“Earthshine floating high in the evening sky._ _I see my faint reflection reflected light in another’s sight_. _And the moon tells a lover’s story.”_ _©Peart,Lee,Lifeson_

 

       The galaxy was abuzz, a firestorm of cosmic activity the likes of which hadn’t been seen since...well, since the last time.  
  
       The stars were practicing their blinking enthusiastically with the celestial version of marching band precision, dazzling the heavens with brilliant flickers of light. Oh, yes, it was going to be a wondrous sight this evening!

      “Why are you so dull? Are you feeling all right?” the younger anxiously inquired.

      “You know I don’t like the attention,” grumped the elder.

      “But this is special! You know how rare it is to have Jupiter and Venus visit us together. It’s been eons since we’ve seen them and they won’t be back for another forty-four years. You should be very proud they’ve chosen tonight to entertain as a couple. Besides,” the younger grinned, “I like showing off. I’m proud of us...of _you.”_

      “Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean we have to flaunt what we have, what we _d_ o, for everyone to ogle and take pictures. Why couldn’t they come _any_ other time, why tonight?”

      "Are you embarrassed?” the younger asked. “Do you honestly think anyone cares? This is 2008, remember. Times have changed.” His look was gentle, with a faint glow of humor. “You’ll still be the stud of the galaxy and you’ll always be _mine._ You’re a part of me. That’ll never change.”

      “I’m not embarrassed! I like to put on a show as much as any celestial body, you know that, but there are some activities I prefer to do without being gazed at through telescopes. Christ, even Saturn’s rings are being polished for tonight! And don’t get me started on all the bratty comets who can’t even control their tails! One of them came _this_ close to us!”

      “They’re just excited,” the younger explained patiently. “Some of them didn’t even _have_ their tails the last time this happened. Whether you want to accept it or not, we’re going to be a part of this spectacle tonight, so we might as well shine and put on a show of our own. Besides, everyone will be so busy looking at Venus and Jupiter, they won’t even notice us.”

       The elder started to frown.

      “Don’t do that!” the younger exclaimed.

      “What?”

      “Frown. You _know_ how awful that looks from every point in the galaxy.”

      “Maybe I _want_ to look awful!” the elder whined. “Then the spotlight, no pun intended by the way, can just be on Jupiter and Venus and not us. That’s the way they’d prefer it anyway. You know how they _love_ to be in the limelight, to be the center of attention.”

      “Ok, that’s enough!” the younger ordered. “You’re not going to hide all day, sulking, and then give a dull and shadowy performance. You’ve done that in the past.”

       The elder offered a weak protest. “Did not! I told you the clouds were in the way that night!”

      “Yeah, right! And I’m a shooting star!” the younger retorted.

       The elder raised one eye. “Hmm, now when it comes to shooting....”

      “Will you please stop and put your eye back down! It looks hideous, like we’re deformed or something. If anyone looked up and saw that, it’d create a cosmic incident! Now, go get cleaned up. It’s almost time!”

      “Yes, dear.” The elder knew it was futile to argue. It always was. He could never deny the younger anything, so universal was his love for him. Their passion was often the sparkle of the cosmos, particularly that one time when their afterglow seemed to last forever. When they shone, there was no one in the heavens who could compete.

      “Ok, so how do I look?” the younger asked in a hesitant voice.

      “You look great. You always do. You always will,” the elder murmured affectionately. “Ready?”

       Overflowing with anticipation, the younger gave an animated nod.It was always such a profound event when they did this, one that sent waves of emotion into every crater and crevice, an occurrence that the younger would never take for granted.

       This simple act of trust from the elder, a recurring ritual during one of their phases, demonstrated how far they’d come since the beginning of forever. The realization that they were going to be part of the galaxy’s “Show of Shows” tonight only heightened the meaning and the love.

       The elder smiled. “Let’s do it, then! You know what to do!” Everything was perfectly aligned and perfectly lit—this was their one moment in time.  
  
        With a smile that rivaled their daylight counterpart, the young moon’s arms reached out and pulled the old moon into a sheltered embrace of protection. A faint sigh of contentment escaped from both of them.

      “I love you,” the younger whispered.

      “Always have, always will,” the elder answered.  

                                                           _“Are the stars out tonight? I don’t know if it’s cloudy or bright,_  
_cause I only have eyes for you._  
_The moon may be high, but I can't see a thing in the sky_  
_cause I only have eyes for you._  
_here we are, you and me, millions of people can see_  
_but they all disappear from view cause I only have eyes for you.”_  
__©Budin/Warren__

 

 **ASTRONOMICAL FACT:

Earthshine is a regular occurrence, most visible right before and after a new moon. You may be able to see the full globe of the moon, its darkened portion glowing with a bluish-gray hue interposed between the sunlit crescent and not much darker sky. This vision is sometimes called “the old moon in the young moon’s arms.” When I wrote this fic on December 1, 2008, a very rare celestial event took place in the night sky as the planets Jupiter and Venus lined up close to the earthshine of a crescent moon, making for quite a unique spectacle.

 

 

 


End file.
